Electrical apparatus for treating nerves, muscles, and blood



Jui 19 1927.

y J. w. KENNEDY ELECTRICAL APPARATUS FOR TREATING NERVES, MUSCLES, AND BLOOD Filed May 29. 1924 '5 Sheets-Sheet 1 v 1,636,568 y 1927' J. w. KENNEDY ELECTRICAL APPARATUS FOR TREATING NERVES, MUSCLES, AND BLOOD F1166 May 29, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 1,636,568 y 1927' J. w. KENNEDY ELECTRICAL APPARATUS FOR TREATING NERVES, MUSCLES, AND BLOOD Filed May 29. 1924 s Sheets-Sheet 3 aw. z

- tends around the inner wall of the tank at Patented July 19,1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES W. Oil OM08, 0810. I ELECTRICAL APPARATUS I03 TREATING IIIBVIS, AID BLOOD. Application filed Bay 28, Serial Io. 116,746.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in electrical ap aratus for treating the nerves, muscles an blood, and has for its object to provide an apparatus of this character which will open the pores of that portion or portions of the body being treated, ,relax the muscles and at the same time send a regular interchanging current through the body.

Another object of my invention is that the device may. be adjusted to treat any portion of the body desired.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists in the novel features herein set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, in which numerals of like character designate similar parts throughout the several views;

Fig. 1 is a view showing all of the parts in use.

Fig. 2 is aview partly in section of one of the foot tanks.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the vibrating coil,-

having my improved current interchanging means thereon.

Fig. 5 is a detail view in section of the electro pad.

Fig. 6 is a view taken on line 6- -6 of Fig. 4, showing the voltage control, and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the wing of the switch controls.

In the drawings 1 and 2 designate the two foot tanks, composed of any electric conducting material, preferably nickel plated copper. On one side of each of these tanks I provide a water inlet tube 3, which extends down the inside of the tank as shown in'Fi .2 and terminates in an endless tube 4, w ich exthe lower portion thereof. This tube is provided with a plurality of apertures 5 along its upper surface through which hot water finds its way into the tank.

In order to insulate these tanks so that the patient will not directly touch the metal, I provide a pad 6 of non-conducting material, prglfzerably rubber, in the bottom of each t At suitable points in the upper portions of the. foot tanks. I provide connecting posts 7 and 8, which will be described later. At

the lower portion of each tank. are outlets 21 for draining of! the water after the treatment.

9 represents a waterproof'colla sible garment or sack, com sed of a suite 1y treated fabric, which consists of two limb containing portions 10 and 11, and a body portion 12. The portions 10 and 11 are open at their lower extremities, and fit tightly over the walls of the foot tanks 1 and 2, as shown in Fig. 2, and a suitable packing may be inter posed at 13, Fig. 3 between said walls and the fabric, to render the device water tight, when the adjustable bands 14 are place thereon. I

The body portion 12, is provided with a p plurality' of adjustable sack supportin straps 15 which limit the expansion of sai sack when the water level is raised therein, and which also serve as means for adjusting the sack to any portion of the body.

At predetermined places in the body portion 12, are electropads 16 and 17 preferably consisting of a strip of corrugated metal screen 18, as shown in Fig. 5, faced with a suitable absorbent material 19, said screen havin secured thereto a binding post 20.

22 esignates a hot water tank of an kind which I referably secure to the wal at a point hig er than the highest point on the body sack 12. This tank is provided with two outlets 23 and 24 which I connect with the inlets 3 in the foot tanks, through'the medium of the rubber tubes 25.

Beneath the tank 22, I place heating means 26 which may be of any desired kind, the one shown in the drawings being the usual gas burner.

27 represents a vibratingcoil, similar to the usual medical vibrating coil, but wired in such a manner as to provide a combined primary and secondary circuit 28, a primary circuit 29 and 'a secondary circuit 30. The battery (not shown) is connected at the terminals 31, having a tension of approxi- .mately three volts, stepped up by means of Terminal A is connected 'to studs 6 ande and terminal 0 is connected to studs (1 and d, forming the primary and secondary circuit. Terminal B is connected to studs f and g, and terminal studs e and k, forming the rimary circuit, and term nal 'B is connecte to studs j and k and terminal A to studs 11 and Z, forming the secondary circuit.

The current is successively taken from these three circuits by means of pivoted switches 33, 34 and 35 as shown in Fig. 4, or a similar arrangement as diagrammatically shown in Fig. 7, which when turned from one direction to the other changes the poles and causes the current to flow in constantly changing directions.

In cases which require the connection of more than one circuit, and in order to facilitate the oscillation of a plurality of switches, I provide an arm v36 on each switch body, which is pivotally secured to a bar 37. Engaging one of said arms 36, is a forked lever 38 pivoted at 39 and provided with a handle 40. When this lever is moved in one d1rection the bar 37 is moved and in turn operates the switches 33, 34 and 35. While I have described this means of oscillating the switches, it is obvious that any desired means may be employed.'

Although any means may be employed for reducing the voltage of the battery when desired, I have shown a sliding rheostat 41.

The operation-of my device is as follows:

' The tank 22 is filled with water and the heater 26 is started. The foot tanks 1 and 2 are then partly filled with luke-warm water, and the patient is placed in the garment or sack 9 in such a position that one foot rests in each foot tank. This garment is raised to the desired height on the body of the patient as shown in Fig. 1, depending upon the portion of the body to be treated, and the straps 15 are adjusted according to the size of the patient, the top strap being tightenough to secure the garment in place on the wearer.

If that portion of the body only, below the hips is desired to be treated, the lower strap is tightened and the wires X and Y from the vibrating apparatus are connected to the posts 7 and 8 respectively on the foot tanks 1 and 2. The current is then turned on, the limbs of the patient completing the circuit between the two osts 7 and 8, cans ing the current to flow t rough the limbs of the patient. At the same time that the current is passing through the body, the cocks 23 and 24 on the hot water tank 22 are intermittently opened and closed until the temperature of the water in the foot tanks reaches the proper degree. This hot water flows through the tubes 25 into the inlet tubes 3 and the apertures 5 being in the upper surface of the endless tube 4, the hot water will flow upwardly, and not come in direct contact with the patients limbs. The

heat of the water and the vapor therefrom causes the pores on the enclosed portion of the body to open and the body to sweat. While the patient is in this heated condition, the lever 29 on the vibrating apparatus is oscillated as before described, causing a regular interchange of circuits thus interchanging the current through the portion of the bodyl' being treated.

T is interchange causes the muscles to expand and contract, and acts upon the tion of the body to be in electrical contact,

With the primary circuit 29. Instead of the electropads 16 and 17 I may employ the device shown and described in my Letters Patent No. 1,604,585 of Oct. 26, 1926.

The oscillation of the lever 40 causes the arms 36 to reciprocate and change the electrical'flow of current from one polarity to the other as has been before stated. This change in polarity causes the muscles in the limbs to alternately contract and expand, assuming a movement similar to that of walking, and the spineto assume a snakelike movement. This action relieves the nerves centers from any impingement.

Any portion of the body may be treated in this manner by simply changing the electric connections. For instance, if the right side is desired to be treated, the wire X remains as before described, but the wire Y is connected to one of the electro-pads 16 or 17, as shown in Fig. 1. If it is desired to treat only that portion of the body above the hips, the two wires X and Y may be connected to the electro-pads 16 and 17, which causes an interchange of current between those points only.

WVith my improved device, it is possible to treat the limbs with the primary current, and at the same time treat the spine or upper portions of the body with the secondary current or vice verse, by simply connectingthese different circuits to the electro-pads 16 and 17 in addition to the connection to the foot tanks, the lever 29 causing all currents to interchange at the same time.

After the treatment, the water is drained oil? through the outlets 21 in the tanks 1 and 2 and the apparatus may be taken apart and sterilized before using again.

From the above, it is believed that my invention may be clearly understood without further description, and in closing it should be stated that numerous changes ma be made in the details of construction wit lout departing from the s irit of the invention. What I claim and esire to secure by Let ters Patent is 1. Electrical apparatus for treating the human system, comprising limb receiving means secured to said tanks for enthe body, means for supplying hot water to said tanks, electric terminals on each of said tanks, the limbs of the patient serving to complete the circuit between said terminals, and means for reversing the current passing through said portions of the body.

2. Electrical apparatus for treating the human system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said limb receiving tanks are rovided with insulating means, and means or causing the incoming hot water to flow upwardly to avoid direct contact with a patients limbs.

3. Electrical apparatus for treating the human system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said body enclosing means consists of a water proof sack having adjustable supporttanks, closing portions of ing straps thereon, electric contact means on said sack whereby portions of the body above the hips may be treated.

4:. Electrical apparatus for treating the human system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of difierent currents may be passed through the body, said reversing means comprising a plurality of oscillating switches operated simultaneously from a single source.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for supplying hot water to said tanks, includes a hot water tank, means for heating said tank and tubes connecting said tank with said limb receiving tanks.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for enclosing portions of the body are of flexible material and are removably connected to said tanks.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including means for gradually increasing the temperature of the water in said tanks and body enclosure attached thereto.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

' JAMES W. KENNEDY. 

